Tampa International Airport officials are preparing for another high-traffic holiday travel season after setting a new Thanksgiving record in 2023. They expect 80,000 daily passengers between Nov. 21 and Dec. 2. Projections suggest that Sunday, Nov. 24 will be the busiest day with an estimated 85,724 passengers.
The City of Madeira Beach has rescheduled the 43rd annual John's Pass Seafood Festival for March 28-30, 2025, due to the ongoing re-building efforts necessitated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The Tampa Bay Rays have traded Jose Siri to the New York Mets for rookie relief pitcher Eric Orze. The announcement, coincidentally, came just before the Pinellas County Commission discussed a bond issuance for a new stadium Tuesday. Siri was a boom-or-bust player, particularly at the plate, and Jonny DeLuca will likely replace him in center field.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies have agreed to transfer goalkeeper Jordan Farr to Major League Soccer’s DC United under undisclosed terms. Farr posted 11 shutouts and recorded 92 saves in 34 matches after arriving in St. Petersburg to start the 2024 season. Farr said his one season with the Rowdies “fulfilled lifetime goals of what I wanted to achieve as a soccer player - to be part of a lasting legacy.”
The Pinellas County Commission voted Tuesday to elect Commissioner Brian Scott as the 2025 board chairperson. He will replace current Commission Chair Kathleen Peters. Commissioner Dave Eggers will serve as vice-chair in 2025.
Pinellas County Commissioners voted 6-1 Tuesday evening to postpone voting on a bond issuance that would fund their investment in a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium until Dec. 17. Commissioner Brian Scott proposed the board’s second delay in less than a month to give two new commissioners more time to consider their decisions and “put the pressure on the Rays” not to walk away from the previously approved agreement. A county attorney said the commission could not issue the bonds until Jan. 5, at the earliest.
The City of St. Petersburg received a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services grant to plant trees in the Child's Park area to address air quality issues. So far, the City has planed 183 trees, including 68 along the Skyway trail, 48 near the Childs Park Recreation Center and adjacent lake and 67 at residential addresses.
A recently released report found that new business applications filed in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area soared by 84% from 2019 through 2023, the nation’s third-highest increase. Using U.S. Census Bureau data, Simply Business stated that Tampa Bay saw 49,066 new business applications in 2019, which jumped to 90,271 in 2023. Application rates continue to far surpass pre-pandemic rates nationally, according to early 2024 statistics.
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners welcomed two new members during a swearing-in ceremony Monday evening. Vince Nowicki took incumbent Charlie Justice’s seat and Chris Scherer replaced Janet Long, who retired. The new board will vote on issuing bonds to pay for the county’s investment in a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
John Catsimatidis Sr., founder of the Red Apple Group, told the Catalyst that he would soon formally announce plans for a new development in downtown St. Petersburg. He said Saturday that the New York-based firm, which is overseeing the development of the 49-story Residences at 400 Central, would close on the deal before Dec. 31. Kevin King, director of Florida operations for Red Apple, said the firm is under contract to purchase “an exciting piece of fully entitled land in downtown, just a few blocks from 400 Central.” Catsimatidis said the new development would be "nearly as big" as 400 Central.
The Seahorse Restaurant, located at 800 Pass A Grille Way in St. Pete Beach, recently announced on its Facebook page that it was designated as a historic building. The restaurant will receive a certificate for the designation Nov. 19.
Former St. Petersburg City Councilmember Jeffrey Danner was arrested Friday on one count of digital voyeurism after a woman told investigators she found several cameras in a bathroom air vent. She shared pictures of the cameras, which Danner admitted to placing in the bathroom during a monitored phone call. Danner represented District 8 before losing his reelection bid to Richie Floyd in 2021.
